greed
B2Formal and informal, often with negative moral judgement.
Definition
Meaning
An intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
A compulsive or excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, often at the expense of others.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable noun referring to the abstract quality or state. While 'greed' focuses on excessive desire, it strongly implies a lack of concern for ethical standards or the welfare of others.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally common and carries identical connotations in both varieties.
Connotations
Universally negative, associated with moral failing, corruption, and social harm.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, common in news, finance, and social commentary.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
greed for [noun]greed of [noun/pronoun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Greed is good.”
- “The seven deadly sins (includes greed)”
- “greed knows no bounds”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Critically describes excessive profit-seeking that harms stakeholders or the market.
Academic
Used in economics, sociology, and ethics to analyse motivation and social inequality.
Everyday
Used to criticise selfish behaviour, especially over food, money, or advantages.
Technical
In behavioural economics, can be a factor in models of irrational decision-making.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The character was consumed by a need to greed after power.
American English
- He seemed to greed for the spotlight at every opportunity.
adverb
British English
- He eyed the cake greedily, his hand twitching towards the plate.
American English
- The speculator greedily bought up all the available stock.
adjective
British English
- The film portrayed a greed-ridden society collapsing under its own weight.
American English
- She gave him a greed-filled look as he took the last slice.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dog looked at the food with greed.
- His greed for sweets made him ill.
- The company's greed led to higher prices for customers.
- She felt ashamed of her greed during the buffet.
- Many argue that corporate greed is a root cause of economic inequality.
- The dictator's greed for absolute power destroyed the country.
- The novelist critiques the spiritual emptiness engendered by material greed.
- His insatiable greed blinded him to the ethical ramifications of his deals.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GREEDy person who always says 'Gimme, gimme!' – GREED sounds like 'greedy' without the 'y'.
Conceptual Metaphor
GREED IS HUNGER (insatiable appetite), GREED IS A DISEASE (corrupting influence), GREED IS A HOLE (that can never be filled).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'жадность' in neutral contexts; English 'greed' is stronger and more morally charged.
- Do not use for simple unwillingness to share (use 'stinginess' instead).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'greed' as a countable noun (e.g., 'He has a greed' is incorrect).
- Confusing with 'need' due to similar vowel sound.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'greed' used most appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Ambition is a strong desire to achieve something, often seen positively. Greed is an excessive, selfish desire for more than one needs, universally seen as negative and harmful.
No. While often associated with wealth, greed can apply to power, food, attention, or any resource where the desire becomes excessive and selfish.
No. 'Greed' is only a noun. The related verb is 'to covet' or phrases like 'to be greedy for'. The adverb 'greedily' and adjective 'greedy' are commonly used.
It is neutral-register. It is appropriate in formal writing (e.g., academic papers on ethics) and informal speech (e.g., 'Don't be so greedy!'). Its formality comes from context, not the word itself.